Utah

Utah has about 800,000 acres of wilderness across the state. Fifteen designated wilderness areas hold spectacularly beautiful snowcapped mountains, soaring desert buttes and remote red rock canyons harboring the remnants of prehistoric cultures. Some 3 million acres of public land are currently being considered for wilderness designation in Utah. These Wilderness Study Areas provide opportunities for backcountry adventures. Outdoor recreation is a mainstay of Utah’s economy. Still, road building, developers, proposed uranium and tar sand mining and oil and gas development threaten to scar Utah’s wilderness.

Mount Nebo Wilderness

Juab County (USDA Forest Service)

Utah is full of outstanding wilderness areas from the vast red rock canyon lands in the south, to the uplifted Wasatch Front in the north. One example of where the Trust has worked is the Mount Nebo Wilderness. The 28,000-acre Mount Nebo Wilderness in northern Utah surrounds the majestic 11,928-foot Mount Nebo, the highest point in the Wasatch Range. The wilderness starts at 5,400 feet, climbing through mountain valleys and meadows to aspen and fir at the timberline, and on to an alpine zone with primrose, alpine moss and tundra plants. Bobcats, mule deer and elk are commonly seen. Elusive black bear and mountain lions also live here. Numerous streams are rich with rainbow trout. Wildflowers abound in late spring and summer. The rocks and spires of Devil's Kitchen in the east resemble a miniature Bryce Canyon.